Omega
by Writer's Apprentice
Summary: Araluen is in it's darkest hour. This is the part in most stories when the hero saves the day. But what happens when your hero disappears? WARNING: Very sad story! It ends okay though.
1. Prologue

**Omega**

_Invaders to the West,_

_Heroes put to rest,_

_Night has fallen now,_

_one must wonder how,_

_The Brave Ranger is lost,_

_to be found at what cost,_

_He's Gone._

_Has the Omega started?_


	2. Chapter 1: A Fuzzy World

**A/N** Hey, I was rereading this series and suddenly realized I never finished this story. I'll be rewriting these first few chapters because they're so short and my writing style has changed a bit. As a casual writer, I am greatly encouraged by reviews (I usually squeal and clap), and so would greatly appreciate them. I would like to thank all nine of the people that have reviewed this story over the past 3 years. I will also note that flames will be used to roast marshmallows!

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Ranger's Apprentice.

The wooden shaft of an arrow protruded from Will's side. Some unnoticed enemy must have fired it while he was distracted by the mess around him. His world seemed to slow to a crawl, but Will kept fighting through the unsettling feeling.

Araluen was being invaded, and the enemy was composed of vicious, skilled warriors. Will, being a world-renowned hero and infamously great Ranger was, of course, sent to the front lines. Sadly, it seemed that he would also die on that chaotic ground. Suddenly, Will saw that the world decided to lurch towards his face and his eyes pulled a fuzzy film over the battlefield. A sense of detachment gripped him, making the whole situation almost feel like it was happening to a stranger instead of himself.

Unknown by Will, an enemy's badly aimed sword swing grazed his shoulder. Faintly, Will could hear someone calling his name, as if from a great distance. They sounded so distressed, and he tried to ask what was wrong, but the world was slowly fading to black...


	3. Chapter 2: Blood Red

**DISCLAIMER:**

**WA:** Hello! I've brought Will here to help me with the Disclaimer!

**Will:** You're trying to kill me off!

**WA: **NO! I'm adding suspense to the story! Now say the disclaimer!

**Will:** She doesn't own me, my friends, or anything about the Ranger's Apprentice Book Series in general.

**WA:** Thank you. Now see? That wasn't so hard! (Will runs away)

**Will:** You'll never kill me off! (WA shakes head sadly)

"Will!" Halt screamed as he saw Will collapsing 50 meters away. Both he and Will had run out of arrows an hour ago, then promptly joined the battle with only their knives. Gilan was at the battle too, but he was all the way across the battlefield, unaware of the tragedy happening.

Halt knew he was the closest friend to Will. He had to reach the fallen hero as quickly as possible. He quickly finished off his opponent, stabbing the soldier through the middle before the man could react. He practically flew to Will's side, terror gripping him when he saw that Will wasn't moving. Halt didn't notice how the battle around him seemed to blur from tears nor how his hands shook with fear when he saw Will's tunic turning a sickeningly dark red.

Halt knelt beside Will to examine his wounds. Shoving his panic back in favor of a practical calm he first inspected the arrow. It was in Will's right side, a few centimeters below the ribs, while it had penetrated deeply, it didn't go through completely. That would be messy to remove. From the bruising he could see through the torn tunic, Halt knew there was internal bleeding. He decided that Will must have gone down fighting to have caused so much. Then he noticed a shallow cut on the boy's arm. He identified it as most likely from a sword. It wasn't deep, and not fatal alone, but it added to Will's blood loss and therefore terribly dangerous. Halt knew he had to act fast if Will was to have even a slim chance of surviving.


	4. Chapter 3: Waking Up or Not?

**A/N: Here is the third re-edited chapter of Omega, I hope you like it. **

**DISCLAIMER:**

**WA: Today we have Halt here to say the disclaimer!**

**Halt: She doesn't own anything.**

**WA: Now Halt that wasn't any fun! You have to talk!**

**Halt:...**

**WA: Alright! That's the end of this disclaimer.**

Will opened his eyes to see blinding light. He blinked and the world came into focus… or maybe not the world, but it was sunny and quiet and there were two strangers standing over him. Oddly, they looked so much like him they could have been his…parents? The woman had charcoal black eyes and wavy dark brown hair that fell to her shoulders. The man had hazel eyes and mahogany colored hair. While the woman was short, the man was quite tall. Will was confused to notice that the two people looked worried.

The woman exclaimed, "Daniel, he shouldn't be here yet! He's too young to die!"

"I know dear. Will? Boy, can you here me?" Daniel waved his hand in front of Will's face as if testing his vision.

"Who are you?" Will asked.

* * *

"Will! Will answer me! Say something!" Halt had brought Will to a healer's tent, somehow Cassandra had heard of Will's condition and had found them. She was now holding the young man's hand in a feeble attempt to feel less useless. She was sorely reminded of Skandia, when all she could do was wait for Will to get better, and sincerely wished she could do more to change the situation.

* * *

"Am I dead?" Will questioned.

"No, but your dying, son. You have to try and survive! You have a lot to live for!" Daniel put a hand on Will's shoulder to emphasize his point.

"Why are you both so concerned about me?" Will continued the endless train of questions he always had.

Now the woman spoke, "We're your parents, Sweetie," she smiled in a distinctly motherly way and patted Will's arm as if to say 'now doesn't that make everything better, Sweetie.'

"M-My parents?" Will's eyes widened and he stuttered. After all, he'd never meet the young couple in his life, due to their deaths at the time of his birth.

"Yes, Will," Daniel cut back in, "You need to try to go back, now. Before you get stuck here, child!"

"Will, sweetie, before you try to leave, please know, we love you. More than you know." His mother added. She felt it was very important she tell him in person, rather than him only here it from others. Tears streaked down her face as her little boy smiled and nodded before turning to leave.

* * *

Will's breathing steadied for a moment, but then started to slow. The healer had done his best, but it might not be good enough. It seemed it would take more than medicine and strength of will to save the young Ranger, and no miracle was going to happen. The healer had tried to stop the bleeding, and succeeded with Will's arm, but still warned his patient's visitors that the arrow had done a lot of damage so Will probably wouldn't make it. But Halt and Cassandra had kept their hopes up. Now it all seemed to be for nothing. Halt started to lead Cassandra out of the room, it wouldn't do for her to see her close friend die like this.


	5. Chapter 4: Burying the Dead

**A/N: I know i havent updated in awhile but i would like 2 more reviews before i load the next chapter. read & review enjoy**

**disclaimer: i dont own any of the characters or evanescence songs**

_If you have to leave I wish that you would just leave,_

_'Cause your presence still lingers here and it won't leave me alone,_

_These wounds just won't seem to heel, this pain is just too real,_

_There's just too much that time cannot erase!_

**3 Days Later**

It was Will's funeral. Today it seemed like the heavens would open up and cry with the rest of us.

Erak from Skandia was here along with most of his old crew. All the ranger's that could make it were here (which was about 15), the king, his escort, and Princess Cassandra had come. Horace, Gilan, and Halt were on leave a week for the funeral. George and Jenny got a week of from there jobs to grieve. Alyss would be given 3 weeks recover, Pauline had personally told her. Even Selethen from Al'Shaba came.

As they lowered the coffin, it finally started to rain. The rain became a veil for at least half the people (including most of the rangers) who started to shed salty tears.

* * *

Alyss sat numb as she watched them lower Will, her love, into the ground. No, it wasn't Will. Not her Will. Her Will was still alive. The body in there was some stranger. Will was just lost and would come home any minute now, wondering why everyone was crying. Right?

* * *

Cassandra sobbed openly as the men dropped Will six feet under. When it came time to say how good Will was, she couldn't speak through her tears, so her father spoke for her.

"Will, was a very bright young man. He was courageous and loyal. He saved my daughter's life (Cassandra sobbed harder) and this country. He stopped an atemted attack on Skandia. Deafeated great evil douers in Al'Shaba. And he never stopped talking! (people burst into laughter, even Cassandra smiles) But theres more- He brought hope when there was none. He brought joy to everyone he met. He gave courage to armies. He gave mercy when needed. And he died for his country."

Cassandra fell to her knees in the mud. She choked out "Why Will? Why?" she sobbed "Don't you know I _loved_ you?"

* * *

An audible gasp came from the crowd. There came cries of 'I would never have known' or 'Really?' even 'I knew all along!'

Alyss looked up, a look on her face that could have scared Morgarath into hiding.


End file.
